


Devil's Playground

by sneakingpeakys



Series: Devil's Playground [1]
Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: F/M, Inspired By Peaky Blinders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-05 20:10:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20494634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sneakingpeakys/pseuds/sneakingpeakys
Summary: Kathleen Johnson and Arthur Shelby's rocky marriage leads her to leave for America, anticipating a new life free of heartbreak and free from the Shelby name. Kathleen and her sister Jane Johnson catch the next boat to America, leaving everything else behind them in Small Heath, finding themselves indulging in two well dressed American men. Read on as Kathleen encounters all of the ups and downs of leaving her hometown behind, and although she was so far from home, the men of Small Heath were never too far behind her.





	1. Marry a Shelby, You Stay Married.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr @sneakingpeakys. Hope you enjoy this series!!  
I'd highly recommend listening to Hozier's 'Cherry Wine' whilst reading this chapter.

Arthur’s hands grazed along the skin of her cheek, eyes begging for something, anything more than the answers she was giving him.

“What is it Kathleen, ey? Where you been hidin’ my love?” Her breath caught in her chest, tears threatening to spill from her eyes as his hands slowly travelled to her neck, fingers wrapping themselves securely around her throat.  
“I was with my sister, Arthur.” her lips beginning to quiver as he laid his own upon them, her gasps for air puffing into his mouth.   
“Your sister, ey? Your fuckin’ sister? I heard somethin’ more than that, Kathleen.”

Multiple days of morning sickness had lead Kathleen to believe that she was with child, forcing her to ask for her sister to accompany her to the doctors in order to terminate the pregnancy.

She once loved Arthur, before the war, when they were school sweethearts and times were much simpler, but now the men had been back from war for many years, and Arthur’s mental state was deteriorating, his own thoughts pushing him to inflict pain onto her to make him feel better, and then worse.

“You had my baby in you, and you told me nothing!” His exclamation only tightened the pads of his fingers around her neck, compelling her to gasp once more, her body flailing underneath him whilst his spare hand ran up to her breasts.

She was at a loss for words. What could she say? He knew he had pushed her away, but not this far, not as far to terminate her child with him.

The devil danced across his mind every second of every day, Arthur’s life the best playground of them all, and especially when it involved Kathleen, that’s when the devil had the most fun.

“I’m sorry.” Her words no longer meant anything to him, just adding more fuel to his everlasting fire.   
“You been trying to find a solicitor ‘an all, yeah? You think you can get away from me sweetheart, ey?” His hands gripped her jaw, pushing her face upwards so he could leave kisses along her skin until he stopped, pulling her face back down to meet his eyes. “You marry a Shelby, you stay fucking married. You hear?” He carelessly drops her face from his hands, stepping backwards to witness the fear inflicted on her, and then damaging anything else he can get his hands on. First the lamp, then the table, the photographs from their wedding were third.

His body shuddered with rage, nostrils flaring to inhale the air in their front room, “There’s fuckin’ good in my heart, Kathleen.” Arthurs voice rumbled through Kathleen’s body, her limbs paralyzed with fear, unable to move from the shock of his emotions. His screams didn’t cease, the thrashing of his body resumed as did the noise, lights from neighbouring houses now flicking on which she could see in the reflection of their glass photo frames.

“I’m not a fucking Shelby anymore Arthur. You have pushed me too far this time and I won’t be back. Do you hear me?” Her left hand raised to grip his face as he had hers, eyes boring into one another’s and his face pushing into her touch for comfort, his rapid thoughts now seeming to slow down and rationalise. Her mouth opened, hovering dangerously close to his, “I’m never coming back.”   
Her coat decorated the fold of her arm as she trailed out of the house, the lights from houses on the street quickly turning off as people whats her trail out of the house, leaving Arthur unable to comprehend the situation that had just taken place in their home.

Kathleen rushed to her sister’s house before Arthur could go on his second rampage and find her, fast unclear mumbles being thrown at her sister, trying to give her some sort of information before being dragged from her home.

“Kathleen, America is so far away, are you sure?” Her sister Jane was more than alarmed, she knew only what Kathleen had told her, and could see the rest from the forming bruises on her arms and the red marks scattered across her chest, which was more than enough for them to up sticks and move to America, but Jane felt that there was still so much for Kathleen, here in Small Heath. She loved Polly, she loved Tommy too, their short relationship before her and Arthur setting a fire inside of her tummy as a reminder.

“I need to see Tommy first, and then we will go. I can’t stay here any longer Jane, you don’t have to come with me, but I must go.” She nodded at Kathleen, words wouldn’t be enough for this. Nothing could change Kathleen Johnson’s mind.

A taxi ride that felt like forever, quickly lead the two of them to Tommy’s mansion, the maids rushing up to him to inform them of your unexpected arrival. Jane stayed downstairs talking to Francis whilst Kathleen made her way to Tommy’s office, never feeling as nervous to speak to him since she was a girl.

“Kathleen, I wasn’t expecting you.” She nods curtly at him, mouth opening to speak but her words hadn’t formed yet.  
“I’m leaving.” Tommy stands from his office chair, hands lying flat over top of the papers adorning his desk.   
“Leaving to where? And for what?” Tommy had noticed her tears before she had, his footsteps coming towards her before enveloping her in his arms. It was wrong of her to feel the love she felt for Tommy, even if they had been together before her and Arthur, they were family.  
“I can’t stay anymore, there is nothing left for me here. Me and Arthur, we-“ She took a deep breath, “we’re done, me and him.” It takes a few seconds for her sentence to settle into Tommy’s mind, and even longer for him to come up with a plausible solution to the issue.

Every time anything had gone wrong with Kathleen and Arthur, Tommy had been the one to help her up, build her back up again, convince her it would work between them. He was able to put his childhood feelings for her aside and focus on her marriage with his brother, but it seemed that no matter how much he tried to be the extra layer of glue keeping their marriage together, something always drew Kathleen and Tommy back together. Kathleen was never disloyal to Arthur, the guilt would eat her alive, but the feelings she had for Tommy would never go away, whether she acted on them or not.

“For once, I don’t know what to say, Kathleen.” A soft sad chuckle left his lips before they were laid upon her forehead. He stepped back, allowing his palms to rub up and down her arms soothingly. Her shaking fingers reached for her left hand, slowly pulling her wedding ring off and placing it in his.

“I love you all, I love Arthur in a way too, but it’s not the same. I’m going to America.” Knowing he could not change her mind, he laid one more kiss on her forehead before crushing her into a hug again, his brain running a million miles an hour.  
“I’m sorry.” His words came out as a whisper, pushing Kathleen over the edge and making her let out a sob.  
“You know, Thomas, sometimes I wish it had worked between us. I wish you fought for me.” His fingertips smoothed her hair down, his own eyes beginning to water and yet another kiss planting on her head before he places his chin over her.  
“I know. We could have been great.” The two of them smile disappointedly, the conversation now coming to an end.

Kathleen slowly pulls Arthur’s ring from her left hand, studying it before laying it in the palm of Tommy’s, “Send me letters will you, and hang on-“ She rustled through her coat pockets, swiftly pulling out a letter decorated with Polly’s name on the front, “give this to Pol too.” He agreed, giving her a final kiss on the cheek and an extra squeeze before letting her go. She would remember his address so that she could send postcards and letters to him, to all of them. Maybe even Arthur too.

The two Johnson sisters made their way onto the ship they bought tickets for only hours before, their eyes glancing at every small detail of their allotted room that was to become their home for a week. Kathleen’s gaze landed upon her bare left hand, the beautiful ring gifted to her by Arthur the month before he had gone to war, the second week of June as she remembered, his promise of a wedding when he arrived back left a bitter sweet sting in her heart.

She knew she had tried her hardest. Eight years of marriage, if she counted the years he was at war and not by her side, had turned her into someone she never wanted to be. She feared her husband, and just as bad, she fell out of love with him. She hoped that America would be a brand-new start for her, for Jane too. The Shelby name no longer a tie that would pull her into brewing storms and heartache.


	2. We Call It Day Drinking in America, Sweets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy this chapter :)  
I would recommend listening to Frank Sinatra's 'My Funny Valentine' whilst reading this chapter.

Jane could do very little to soothe Kathleen’s sea sickness. Her hurried breaths begging for a bucket for Kathleen’s stomach to pour into. The crew on the ship were more than kind, checking up on Jane and Kathleen every few hours to ensure that they were comfortable, and their needs be met.

Jane had tried to talk to Kathleen about what had happened with Arthur now that almost four had passed, and her bruises were turning yellow, but Kathleen barely gave away any information, pushing her sister out and only speaking to her when she felt she had to.

The morning had woken Kathleen much earlier than it had Jane and being cooped up in their room was making her feel more sick than before. She got up to wash her face, rising up for a towel to pat herself dry before looking at her reflection in the mirror. In the two days they had been there, the bags under her eyes showed a million more emotions than she intended, so she shuffled through her makeup bag and made herself look presentable.

The ship was serving breakfast, and Kathleen didn’t feel like waking Jane, she wanted some time to herself, time to get a breath of fresh air. She made her way to the ship’s dining room, the chairs and tables sparsely filled, before grabbing a plate of food and sitting as close to the corner as she could, attempting to stay away from any prying eyes or interruptions. It was when she finished her food that she noticed a man, suit clad and staring right at her, issuing a blush onto her cheeks before looking down at herself, not knowing how to react. The man was sat with what seemed to be his friend, they were dressed similarly with smart blazers and slicked back hair, their good looks sending a flutter off inside of Kathleen. The man staring at her hadn’t let go of her eye contact once, even as he nodded and responded to his friend’s’ comments, his stare remained.

Kathleen sat up from her chair, walking over to get another drink and having to pass by the man’s table, his eyes following her to where she queued for the drink. The man rose from his chair, just as Kathleen had, abandoning the conversation he was having and walking over to stand behind her.

“Have you tried the wine?” Kathleen chuckled inwardly at his attempt to strike a conversation with her as she watched his hands dance along the table cloth, smoothing over the wrinkles embedded into the cotton.

“I haven’t, have you?” She turns to him, an amused smile gracing her features, looking up and allowing him to take in her beauty. He chuckles, shaking his head.

“No, I haven’t, but would you like to try some with me?” She bites down on her lip, trying to prevent another smile spilling out onto her face, but she failed, her grin now matching his.

“At nine in the morning?” Her head tilted to the side, questioning his decision.

“We call it day drinking in America, sweets.” Kathleen was next in the queue, the cashier anticipating her choice of drink. The man looked at her pointedly, his lopsided grin proving impossible to ignore as she gripped onto the bottle neck of the red wine.

Kathleen could almost hear her sister scoff at her, scolding her not only for drinking so early in the morning, but for entertaining the idea of this handsome man, only days after leaving Arthur.

The man’s friend had disappeared in the time that the two of them were in the queue, clearly taking his hint to leave when watching them both talk. The seat she took was still warm, her hands moving to ruffle her skirt so that she could sit comfortably whilst the man in front of her opened the wine bottle and began pouring the red liquid into hers first,

“Tell me when to stop.” She laughed at him.

“I fear that if you leave it up to me, then you will never hear the word.” He nods, letting out a raspy chuckle, filling her glass a quarter of the way and his too.

The man cleared his throat, “I never asked for your name.” Kathleen pushed her hand forward for him to shake.

“Kathleen, and you?” His fingers held her delicate ones before lifting her knuckles to his lips, pressing a chaste kiss to them before she retrieved her hand, blushing ferociously.

“Luca.”

The two of them had spent the morning talking about their time so far on the ship, Kathleen learning that he was living in New York and the man he was with was his best friend, Tony. 

“I’m with my sister, Jane. She’s more than likely still asleep, I didn’t want to wake her you see, wanted some time to myself.” His head bows in a nod.

“And this is time to yourself, aye?” Luca’s thick New York accent sent shivers down the back of her neck and her eyes close, lips tugging at the corners.

No one looked like that in Birmingham, granted he was American after all, but not one person in any part of Birmingham she had seen, even remotely resembled the charm of this man.

“I suppose not, but I’m enjoying myself. Isn’t that all that matters?” Kathleen lifts her wine glass to her lips, her eyes set on Luca’s smirk as she sipped her wine.

“Where do you plan on going from here?” Kathleen seemed to have it all planned out as she left for Tommy’s house four days prior, but now she was unsure of herself, her confidence faltering under Luca’s gaze.

“I thought I had it all planned out, but it seems I do not.” Her lips formed a tight smile, sipping at her glass once more to empty it of the remnants of red wine.

Her chest still pained at the fact that she had left Small Heath. It was the truth that there was nothing left for her, her marriage was stripped of its foundations, and the family that she was a part of, didn’t really belong to her at all.

“Hey, you look upset. You can tell me what’s on your mind, bella.” Beautiful. His fingers raised to bring a waiter over, asking for another drink for the two of them. The man hurriedly came back to the table with two glasses of water and a whisky tumbler. Kathleen felt strangely comfortable unveiling information to the man that she had become acquainted with, but she knew that in order to move on from the past, she mustn’t dwell on the details.

“My life in England wasn’t so good. I was married, well, up until three days ago.” She thought that would have shocked Luca, but his face remained still, intently listening to her and waiting for the rest of her words. It hadn’t surprised him, simply because the most beautiful women were almost always married, in fact, he would have been more shocked if she wasn’t. He inwardly smiled at the fact that she was somewhat available to him now that she was no longer with her husband, but he tried to shake the thought from his head, his eyes pushing her to carry on, “He wasn’t the nicest. His temper was extremely short, he changed after the war.” His lips were turning downwards at that. Her husbands short temper sending an unsettling feeling through his body.

“They all did.” His gruff voice startled her.

“You fought in the war?’ Lucas head shook, no.

“My brother did, a few of my friends too, I was-” He searched for the right words to say without unsettling her, hands motioning forwards as if he was trying to grip on to the words, “locked up at the time, if you will.”

Kathleen’s eyebrows raised. Of course, the most attractive man she had seen on this ship, one who was engaging in conversation with her, had a criminal record.

“You don’t seem surprised, no?” Kathleen shook her head.

“My brother was a trouble maker, as was my husband. His family too. They weren’t bad people, but they did not so nice things.” He understood. He felt the same way about his job. Unbeknown to Kathleen of course, he would never reveal his place in the New York Mafioso to a stranger, if they didn’t know already then, they weren’t to know, no matter how beautiful they were.

“I see.”

Their conversation was cut short when Kathleen’s sister entered the room, her eyes immediately averting from Luca to meet Janes. She saw that as her sign to leave.

“Thank you ever so much for the wine, but I better get going. It was really lovely to meet you Luca.” She stood from her chair, seeming to rush away from him as he chuckled at the way she got flustered when speaking and apologising to her sister. She looked as if she were a little girl that was getting reprimanded by her mother.

Luca knew that Kathleen was from Birmingham, even before she said so, by the sound of her voice. He had encountered people like her when he went over there to attend his cousins wedding. He wondered what she would look like in a white gown, what her wedding was like, what she looked like when she was in love. Luca could have his choice of women, hell, he could pay for the most gorgeous women in New York and Sicily, but there was something different about Kathleen. Something pushing him towards her as if the two of them were magnetised. The thought of seeing her again crossed his mind as he made his way back to his room. He could only hope they would have another conversation and that she would laugh at him whilst he chuckled at her.


	3. Bella

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recommend listening to Lana Del Rey's 'Cola'.

As soon as Jane had found Kathleen and eaten her very late breakfast, she was yanking her back to their cabin, hissing at her stupidity of drinking with a stranger and ignoring the confrontation of her sister.

“Jane.” Kathleen’s voice was tired now, her sisters fast paced walk proving too much for her. Jane carries on.  
“Jane, stop running will you.” She stopped abruptly, Kathleen almost crashing into her.  
“I’m not running.” Kathleen’s eyes rolled at her sister before straightening out the skirt of her dress.  
“Well you’re walking too fuckin’ fast. What’s up with you?” Jane huffed, the two sisters sitting down on each of their beds, the wine now making its way to Kathleen’s head, flopping the top half of her body down onto the mattress.  
“Well I woke up and you weren’t there, I thought you’d gone.” Jane didn’t tell Kathleen, but she’d struggled to sleep over fear her sister would become fed up whilst on their way to America and just jump overboard. She knew it was a stretch, even for Kathleen, but her sister had never shut her out this much.

“Kathleen, I know you don’t want to talk about it but I’m your sister. I’m moving to America with you, so you can get away from that painstaking family.” Kathleen shot up at Jane’s words, suddenly feeling the need to protect Arthur and the rest of the Shelby’s, despite her feelings towards them.  
“They’re not painstaking. That’s not fair of you to judge the rest of them based on Arthur’s treatment of me.” Jane laughed exasperatedly, throwing her hands in the air.  
“Are you kidding? Oh my god, he’s brainwashed you. Arthur Shelby has brainwashed you.” A roll of Kathleen’s eyes sent her body backwards again, rustling into the mattress to get comfortable.  
“Jane, I was in love with Arthur, and now I’m not. Our marriage went to shit, okay? You saw the bruises, you saw the marks, he hadn’t meant to hurt me, I told myself that, i knew that, but every time he did so, I believed myself less and less.” Jane sighed, her hands coming to lay atop of Kathleen’s.

“What did you say to Tommy?” Kathleen gently squeezed her sisters hand.  
“Said I wish we’d have worked out. Gave him Arthur’s ring and a letter for Polly, that was all.”  
“You didn’t kiss him did you?” Kathleen glared at her sister.  
“No. I didn’t kiss my ex-husbands brother who also happens to be my ex-lover.” Jane’s eyes rolled, it was a miracle that the pair of the sisters eyes hadn’t fallen out by now.

“Sorry. I was just worried about you.”

“I know.”

The sisters had treated themselves to a nap, a luxury they didn’t often get to indulge in at home since they had to get in with the hustle and bustle of Birmingham. The ship’s evening meal time was rolling around, a three course meal along with live performance was due to put the two girls at ease and allow them to enjoy what was left of their journey to America.

Kathleen’s figure was adorned by a sequinned black and emerald green flapper dress, matching with her sisters pink one. Their makeup perfectly applied and heels freshly slipped on before they exited their cabin, earning stares from some of the men on their way into the grand room.

Kathleen’s eyes glanced over the room once they found their seats, half expecting to find Luca nearby, but he was nowhere to be seen. She tried to hide her slight disappointment by looking at her menu, asking her sister what she had decided on before making up her own mind.

Before long, the band walked onto the stage, earning claps and whistles before they broke out into swing music. People danced in their chairs waiting for their drinks and food to be delivered to their tables so that they could get up and make use of the dance floor. The food quickly arrived, Jane and Kathleen eating it, the days of barely any food, catching up with them and filling their appetites. They were merry. Everyone was merry. Only one glass of wine had already furthered the tipsiness Kathleen felt in the morning.

Two more bottles of wine were ordered to your table, courtesy of ‘the men at table 12’ and when you turned to search for who it was, your quizzical stare landed on Luca’s friend and then Luca, his glass raising and tipping in your direction as a cheers, your smile thanking him and a glisten in his eyes letting a warmness take over your cheeks.

“Is that who you were with this morning?” Jane sipped the last of her wine, opening the fresh bottle bought by Luca and pouring it into hers and her sisters glasses.  
“Yes. He’s quite handsome, don’t you think?” Jane nodded in agreement, her eyes finding the men again.  
“His friend is quite pretty.” Kathleen chuckled at her sister.  
“Pretty? I have never heard you call a man pretty. Why don’t you go over?” Janes eyes lifted upwards, widening slightly.  
“You don’t need to go over, I’m right here.” Luca’s voice came from behind Kathleen, her eyes dead set on her sister before turning around.  
“Luca, thank you for the wine…again.” He chuckled, him and his friend Tony taking the two spare seats next to the sisters. Tony and Jane had already started a conversation whilst Luca and Kathleen’s eyes roamed around each other.  
“It’s a pleasure, _bella_.” His hand reached to take hers as the band started a new song, far slower than the swing they had previously played, and lead her in the direction of the dance floor, Tony and Jane following suit.

Luca’s right arm circled Kathleen’s waist, her own hand coming to settle on top of his shoulder, and their spare hands clasping together as they danced the waltz.  
“I didn’t think I would see you again so soon.” Luca rasped, his eyes interlocking with Kathleen’s and his thumb stroking softly against her hand.  
“And did you want to?” He smiled, almost laughing before nodding softly.  
“Of course.” Their stare down was intense as they continued to dance, passing by Tony and Jane multiple times and the sisters grinning at one another once they passed.  
“You dance quite well.” Kathleen complimented.  
“I learned from my mother. I don’t often dance with beautiful women though.” She smiled broadly at him, their faces coming much closer together, their feet moving them along the floor.  
Her nerves caused her to look away, “They seem to be getting on well, hey?” Kathleen nudged her head in the direction of her sister and Luca’s friend, his head turning to their direction, allowing Kathleen to get a good look at his side profile. His jaw was sharp, his hair slicked back as it had been this morning, and a crucifix tattoo on his neck visible over the top of his collar. Kathleen lifted her hand from his shoulder and let her finger trace the tattoo softly, Luca’s head slowly turning back around and letting his gaze land on her.  
“I didn’t see your tattoo before.”  
“I have a few more.”  
“Really, where?” He smirked at her, coming closer to her ear.  
“You can’t see them with my suit on, _bella_.” Her breath caught as he slowly moved back to their original stance, his low snigger vibrating off of her at her light timidness.  
“You could always show me.” His smile lifted even more, calloused hands coming to brush against her cheeks, his thumb smoothing over her barely open lips. Kathleen’s mind was fuzzy from the wine, her nerves coming and going like the sea they were settled on.

The music continued, as did their dancing, but all Kathleen could hear were her unsteady breaths, in a state of shock from the man in front of her, he kissed his thumb and pressed it against her lips. Her eyes closing at the fluttering feeling.  
The song soon changed and many people left the dance floor, the four of them returning to the table they sat at previously.

“Luca,” Luca looked next to him, as did the rest of them, to find another man in a suit, looking just as smart as the two men in front of them, “there’s a call for you.” He gulped his whisky before standing up, muttering to Kathleen that he’d only be a minute and following the man that came to the table, Tony doing the same.

Kathleen let out a big huff of air as she relayed the things that had just taken place on the dance floor, Jane doing the same. She said Tony had laughed when she called him pretty, and was now feeling embarrassed.

“Jane they’re pretty Italian boys, don’t be embarrassed about it, they already know it.” The men had caught the end of her statement, sending her into a blushing frenzy before opening another bottle of wine and lighting a cigarette.  
“You smoke?” Luca shook his head as he watched Kathleen light hers and inhale it.  
“You look that beautiful smoking, that it might make me pick up the habit.” She laughed at that. He was funny.

His hand had laid behind her for the rest of the night, perching on the back of her chair and his fingers running along her bare shoulder, making her shudder.  
The only people talking at the table were Jane and Tony, their conversation drowned out from all the other noise in the room. But she could hear Luca clearly when his breath whisked through to her ear.  
“I have something to show you.” They excused themselves from the table, Jane hardly bidding them farewell as they left the room, Tony reeling her in with his wit.  
“What is it Luca?” Without a response he turned to smile at her, taking her up a set of stairs with him and then much to her dismay, another set.

His key jingled in his blazer pocket, letting go of your hand so he could unlock the door and push it open. The gentleman that he was, let you enter the room first. The suite had cream walls, decorated with deep brown furniture, a large glass table circled by leather chairs, and a plush bed on the right side, with a window overlooking the rest of the boat and out into the sea.

Luca stood by the door, watching Kathleen in amusement.  
“This is yours?” He let out a laugh, letting the door close fully before making his way to her.  
“Of course it’s mine, you can’t possibly think I’d take you to Tony’s room, aye?” her plump pink stained lips let out a laugh, sending Luca all tingly inside.  
His hands reached out to her once more, pulling her onto his lap as they looked out of the window to stare at the sea.

Kathleen couldn’t believe she was having a genuinely good time with Luca. A man she had only just met for crying out loud! Arthur had never made her feel this way, even when they were first together. In this moment, she was excited with Luca, he was treating her in a way she wished she had been treated before.

“Now, sweets, what’s on your mind?” His finger stroked her face, his other arm securing her to his lap.  
“I’d like to see the rest of your tattoo’s, if you’d let me.” Something inside of Kathleen had changed, maybe it was the wine, maybe it was Luca. Or both.  
Her lips met his in a swift motion, his free hand coming up to hold the side of her face and caressing her softly.

Luca was done for. This woman had him feeling things he hadn’t known before, a longing type of feeling that he only heard about. He was longing for her and she was right next to him, it didn’t make sense in his mind.

“Now, sweets, what’s on your mind?” She repeated the phrase he had said moments ago to her, causing him to let out a guttural laugh and pull her into him, laying her down on the bed.  
“I don’t like your cheek, Miss Johnson.” Luca smirked at her, his arms coming to rest on her sides as she smiled at him playfully.  
Their lips quickly met each other’s, an aroused rush to give the other more than they bargained for.  
Kathleen was the first to pull at the buttons of Luca’s top, his judgement of her emotions initially lacking certainty, but she had proved to him she wanted this too.  
As her nimble fingers fumbled with his buttons, he leant down, kissing along her neck and chest, her shoulders trying to shrug her dress off, Luca assisting her in peeling the fabric off of her and allowing him to see her in her glory.

Kathleen was in every way of the word beautiful. _Bella_. Her hair flared back onto the silk of Luca’s pillows, her pale milky skin smoothing against his touch as his hands slowly pull her garter and stockings down, and his fingers delicately glazing across her bare legs.  
Kathleen sat up, reaching for his belt buckle, a desperate groan erupting from her mouth just as his lips kissed downwards from her neck. His pants slid off in one motion, yearning to feel her against him again.  
Their bodies enhanced with only their skin, each of their clothes scattered around Luca’s large room.

Kathleen was pulling him up to her again, wanting to feel his lips against hers one more time. He aligned himself before entering her, Kathleen’s hands gripping onto his shoulders, her nails dug into him and no doubt left a mark. Grasping onto her, his lips reached for hers, the taste of her lips wildly intoxicating as her gasps and moans pushed him towards the edge, both of them finishing in sync.

The two of them lay back against the silk sheets of Luca’s bed, their chests heaving in attempt to catch their breath. Kathleen lay facing the ceiling, Luca shuffling onto his side, leaning on his elbow and his hands running through her hair. Kathleen’s eyes met his, a smile bouncing on her lips, giving him permission to lead down and kiss her once again before they fell into a slumber.


	4. Black Hand

Kathleen woke up to Luca’s arms wrapped securely around her, their antics from last night allowing a blush to spread across her cheeks. It was now that she decided to take her time looking at him, looking at the tattoo’s that covered his skin like she said she had wanted to the night before. The cross on his neck was no longer visible as he slept on his side so her eyes trailed down to his arms, only a few there, but what caught her eye was one over the top of his wrist, she tried to change her position without waking him to get a closer look at the tattoo making him stirr in his sleep, moving slightly and giving her an obvious of view of it. She gulped, her intakes of breath becoming choppy as she stared at his tattoo.

_A black hand._

She knew about the black hand, she had heard things through the Shelby’s as they found that Alfie Solomon’s was doing dealings with a Jewish gang in America. He was part of the Mafia; the new-found information made her queasy.

How could she have been so stupid? She had slept with a gangster. A gangster more dangerous than the ones back home in Small Heath. Kathleen slipped out of Luca’s arms, sitting on the edge of the bed, head in her hands and fingers smoothing over the creases on her forehead, trying to force some straight thought into her. Her dress made its way back onto her body, hands going straight up to her hair to tame the frizz, preparing herself for the walk of shame. The walk of shame was new to her, it felt strange.

“It seems you’re always rushing away from me, aye _bella_?” Luca was now awake, his arms stretched out in the bed before he sat up against the headboard, the bed sheet hanging just below his navel and his left leg coming above the silk sheet. Kathleen had barely made her way to the door when she turned to him, a silent frown on her face as she watched his hands beckon her to him. Her body perched beside him on the edge of the bed, his arm linking around her shoulder and nudging her face in the direction of his.

“I need to leave, this shouldn’t have happened.” Her guilt from their actions began settling in her stomach, a heave almost making its way to her throat in disbelief. She was married less than a week ago, and now she was sleeping with an American gangster. Her mother would be turning in her grave if she knew of Kathleen and Arthurs split, and her daughter’s quick actions to move forward. What would Polly think?

“I don’t quite understand what you mean, Kathleen.” She stood up, him doing the same whilst pulling his trousers back on. His bare body leaving him uncomfortable and vulnerable in comparison to her clothed silhouette.  
“I’m fresh out of a marriage.” His shoulders lift with his laugh, Luca’s arms coming to rest on her shoulders and his eyes searching for hers.  
“Listen, I enjoyed last night, but if this is how you feel, I won’t oppose to letting you leave.” Kathleen doesn’t respond. Part of her wanting Luca to ask her to stay, tell her that she was being stupid and that she had every right to move on however she pleased.  
Kathleen shifted her weight to her toes allowing her to lean up and press a kiss against his lips.  
  
Kathleen left his room in a daze. Luca was confused and almost hurt that she had decided to leave, but the decision was hers to make. He would probably never see her again after his time on the ship, and a piece of him was okay with that, the other half of him wanting to relay last night and kiss her to his heart’s content.

Kathleen got lost almost five times before finally finding her room, she nearly knocked in case Jane and Tony had taken their night to their room, but she was pleased to find it empty.   
She decided to run a bath, not being used to it as she would usually bathe in a large basin at home rather than something as lavish as this. She could see the once blue bruises now fading to a yellow as she sunk into the water, her body lying flat before coming up to huddle at her knees.

She hadn’t given herself that much time to think about her final night in Birmingham. Her heart beginning to sting as she thought of Polly reading her letter, would she be angry for not saying a real goodbye or would she understand? John had been one of her closest friends after Tommy, would he be angry that she hadn’t bid him farewell? She worried for Arthur and his wellbeing, she wasn’t completely devoid of feeling towards him, she’d spent the majority of her life with him, caring for him and making sure he was okay. He must have known that there would come a time where Kathleen had decided enough was enough, although he may have not thought it would come so soon. His behaviour became more abnormal, his next movements more unexpected, words more painful and his encounters causing more bloodshed. He had probably killed more people after the war than he did in the four years of battle, she thought.  
Back in Small Heath, Tommy’s choice to visit Polly struck a nervousness in him that he didn’t know was there. He wasn’t scared of Polly by any means, but he was anticipating her reaction, unaware of the way she would deal with it, but he was well acquainted with her dealings of grief, and if it was anything like that, then there would be dark clouds mulling over the whole of Birmingham. He assumed that Arthur knew Kathleen had left, Tommy could already feel Arthur’s tantrum brewing and he had hardly stepped foot into Polly’s house, never mind his brother’s.

“What is it?” The perfectly rolled black cigarette hung from Polly’s lips, her eyes shifting over Tommy uneasily before taking the letter that her nephew was handing her. She knew it was Kathleen’s writing form the swirl in the ‘P’.   
“Kathleen has left for America. She asked me to give you this.” Polly stubbed out the cigarette and hurriedly opened the envelope, not caring for the paper that had sliced a cut into her fingertip.

**_Dear, Polly._  
I’m sorry that I didn’t get a chance to say a proper goodbye, but I can’t stay in Birmingham anymore. Me and Arthur are no longer the way that we used to be, I hope you understand.  
I’m off to America with Jane, although I’m not sure where to. Once I get it all figured out, I’ll send you a postcard. I hope that you’ll write back.  
Give John my love, Finn and Tommy too.**

** _All my love, Kathleen_ ** _   
_

Slipped inside was an extra letter, addressed to Arthur. Polly’s heart clenched.   
“I will kill that boy.” She was seething. Polly was there to witness Kathleen’s heartbreak with Tommy, and her heartache through the war, waiting for Arthur to return and give her the wedding he had so lovingly promised her. But after the war, he was a shell of a man.   
“He was taking his anger out on her, Pol. It’s for the best.” Her hands reached for another cigarette and placed it between her lips, her other hand coming to finger through her hair as she sat on the sofa.  
“And you let her leave?” Tommy nodded, his left hand remaining in his pocket whilst his right mirrored Polly’s, gripping onto his cigarette.

Tommy had to go and see Arthur, the letter clutched in his hand as his knuckles cracked against the wooden door of his brother and Kathleen’s home. To his surprise, the door was open, leading him directly into the front room where chairs and photographs were strewn across the floor. He called out for Arthur, but still heard nothing. His feet took him up the crooked stairs of the house, head peering into every room but only then finding his brother tucked away in the bedroom, clothes covering the wooden floor and shards of blue glass crunching underneath Tommy’s feet. He’d been on the snow again.

“Arthur, get up.” His brother was wide awake, lay on his side and facing the window, no emotion in his eyes and a blank stare cast upon tommy as Arthur turned to him.  
“She’s gone Tom, for real, ain’t she?” Tommy’s fingers held out Arthur’s letter, his name squiggled on carelessly. He took it, forcing himself to sit up and read the words written.

__ **Dear Arthur,  
I hope that you get help. We were once in love, but I see, not so much anymore. My heart aches for you, but I can’t carry on here in Birmingham. You have caused me too much pain and pushed me too far away, so I must leave.   
I pray that you will find something within yourself to help you balance your emotions, decipher hatred and anger from love and happiness.  
I wish you well, Arthur.**

_ **All my love,  
Kathleen.** _

Kathleen stayed in the bath until her fingers and toes began to resemble prunes, the water no longer warm but her skin was just as cold, her trembles sending ripples through the water.  
“Kathleen, are you in there?” Jane’s voice made her breathe in sharply, forcing herself to stand from the tub and grip onto a towel.  
“Yes, I’m here. I won’t be a second.” Her reflection looked tired. She wanted to sleep for an eternity and pretend that the life she was living wasn’t actually hers, but it was. Arthur had stripped her of real love and feeling, taken away her freedom, but now she had it back. Why didn’t it feel that way? Why didn’t it feel freeing? Kathleen loosened her grip on the sink and changed into her fresh set of clothes, opening the bathroom door to meet her sister.

“Are you okay?” Concern laced Jane’s features.  
“I need to speak to you about something.” The two sisters sat on their beds, Jane’s eyes boring into Kathleen’s waiting for her to speak.  
“If it’s about last night, I thought you wanted to leave with Luca. I didn’t mean to leave you alone.” Kathleen’s head shook.  
“No, I promise it’s not that. I’m glad you enjoyed your night with Anthony.”   
“So, what is it then?” Jane was desperate for the answer now.  
“Luca and Anthony are part of the Mafia.”  
“What? How do you know?”

Kathleen told her sister about the night she spent with Luca, how he made her feel and what she saw in the morning. His black hand tattoo.  
“I can’t believe it, they were far too nice to be a part of the Mafia.” Kathleen agrees.  
“I think that’s the whole point. For them to not seem to be who they are.”  
“I need a drink. I can’t believe we just slept with two members of the fucking mafia,” Jane reached for the door, pulling her sister out into the hallway, “what if Luca kills you, what if he’s angry after you left him this morning.” Kathleen’s hand clamped over her sister’s mouth, hissing at her to shut up.  
The two girls made their way to the bar onboard, hoping not to bump into either of the men that they were with the previous night. Kathleen was on edge after what Jane had said. Surely, he wouldn’t do that. She assumed that the Mafia was similar to the Shelby’s, the Peaky Blinders, but she couldn’t know for sure, maybe they were more cutthroat than them.

“Kathleen, they’re fucking here.” Jane kicked her sister under the table they had just sat down at, her head threatening to turn around in order to get a look at them.  
“Are they looking?” Jane peered over Kathleen’s shoulder.  
“No, wait yes they are, they’re walking over.” Shit, shit shit.  
Kathleen could see them distantly in the reflection of her glass, watching them walk closer and closer towards them until they walked past and sat at a table ahead of them, giving Kathleen a clear view of Luca, Anthony, and the man that came to their table with a phone call last night.

Luca’s eyes landed upon Kathleen, his face plain and eyes bored as the men spoke to him. Looking away, Kathleen fiddled with her glass, unable to hold his gaze any longer and feeling slightly ashamed of the way she left him this morning, with hardly any explanation and her words signalling that the night was a regret of hers.


	5. Perdonami, tesoro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy chapter 5!!  
follow me on tumblr @sneakingpeakys

Luca hadn’t had the chance to catch Kathleen, business keeping him too busy whilst preparing for the ship to dock. He respected what she decided on the morning after they shared his bed, but he couldn’t help but want to pursue her still. He knew getting involved with a woman who was still married wouldn’t be good for his image or his heart, yet his thoughts kept drawing to her. Anthony had already warned Luca after finding out that she was married still, going as far to click his fingers in front of his eyes to cut off Luca and Kathleen’s eye contact, though she had already looked down.

The ship was due to dock soon, Jane and Kathleen growing increasingly nervous at the thought of the new life ahead of them. No more industrial smoke sending the city into darkness, no more pain, just a brand-new start.   
The suited men were quick to leave the ship, the two sisters’ having successfully avoided them for the past few days and finally stepping foot on American soil. The dock busy with people greeting family members and friends, and as another ship docked nearby, they watched as people slipped in and out of queues, forcing themselves onto the ship.

Kathleen rooted through her pockets to find the address she had written on a piece of paper before boarding, only to find a ripped page corner with Luca’s name scattered along it, joined by his phone number. She looked up. She hadn’t known about him putting it in her pocket, she couldn’t recall him even being near to her coat, but as she showed Jane, her eyes met his for the millionth time that week, hat secure on his head and his fingertips coming to the rim of it, tipping towards Kathleen and ducking to get into his car.

They made their way into the centre of Manhattan, a long cab ride dropping them outside the hotel that would become their home for a few days before moving into the property that Jane had fought for over the phone. Manhattan was a far cry from Birmingham, the hustle and bustle entirely different to that of Small Heath. After a day or so, Kathleen realised that she would need a job, so she started walking around small businesses looking for a place for her. It was only when she came across a small bakery ‘Luciano’s’ when she thought no one would employ her, even though it was only her second day here, she dreaded turning up on the streets begging for people to take her in and pay her wages.   
Luciano’s was a quaint bakery a few streets down from the hotel Kathleen was staying at, she knew that a lot of businesses around here were owned by Italians and luckily for her, she knew broken bits of Italian, only from her mother who travelled to Italy a lot when she was a teenager. The door knocked a bell, sending a chime through the bakery as she entered, people looking up to her and then resuming whatever they were doing. The tiles on the floor were red and cream, patterned all the way up to the corners, a large sign reading the name of the bakery front and centre on the back wall.  
“Can I help you?” The thick New York accent was going to take some getting used to.   
The man scheduled a training day with her for the next day, her nerves growing by the hour as she prepared for the day ahead.   
She’d never worked in a bakery before, only knowing recipes that Polly and her mother taught her, she wasn’t a chef by any means, but she could make food taste good.  
The next day had come around far faster than either of the sisters had expected. Kathleen bid her sister farewell as she left the hotel room, her red apron tied tightly around her waist, feet clicking against the cement floor as she arrived on time to the bakery.  
They had her doing the easy jobs, such as filling the cannoli’s with cream, decorating some of the sweet confectionaries. She had even started to bond with some of the members of staff there. Her day was coming to an end, most of the staff already finishing, leaving her, Andrea and Angelo to clean up from the day’s work. The bell dinged signalling a customer was here just before closing, Andrea and Angelo both preoccupied meaning Kathleen would have to tend to them.

“Hi, what can I get you?” Her eyes were set on the flip pad that she was stuffing into her pockets, along with her pen, and dusting her hands onto the apron.  
“Kathleen?” Her ears perked up at the sound of the man’s voice, immediately recognising it as Luca’s, her back stiffening at the acknowledgement of him.  
“Luca, hello. What can I get you?” She repeated, trying to make it the least amount awkward, but her heart pounding in her chest sent her fingers trembling.  
“I didn’t know you were working here, you never called.”  
“I’ve only been here two days, Luca.” He nods, searching for something else to say to her, having so many words on his tongue yet holding them back.  
“Cannoli, please.” She reached into the glass display, picking up a cannoli with metal pickers and setting it into a paper bag for him.  
His fingers grazed against hers sending a shockwave through her arm, the change he placed in her hand turning warm from his touch and her cheeks going hot under his stare.  
“When I get off, we could have a talk?” His lips lift at her suggestion. He liked the sound of that

Luca waited patiently for Kathleen to finish her shift, the front lights turning off and the sign being twisted so that the words ‘closed’ were visible through the glass to people passing by the bakery. She withdrew from the bakery, sending a goodbye to Andrea and Angelo who stayed to finish some extra bits of work, and taking hold of Luca’s arm. She made a mental note of the uneasy stares they laid upon witnessing the man walk into their property. For now though, she withheld her words, reminding herself to ask at a later time.

Luca ate half of his cannoli, offering the other half to Kathleen. Her head tilted upwards to smile and thank him cheesily before she ate the other half. Despite being in the bakery all day, she hadn’t had a chance to try any of the sweets they were serving, only realising in this moment how good they were as she licked the remaining cream from her thumb. Luca watched her, squeezing his eyes shut as he did so. She sent a funny feeling throughout him.

I didn’t know you’d be around here, Luca.” They walked with their arms entangled, Luca far taller than Kathleen, making her feel silly stood so close to him, but people walking by strangely smiled at them until they walked by, Kathleen no longer able to see their faces.  
“I own property here. You would have known had you called me.” His voice grovelled before letting out a stern cough to clear his throat. She had been scared to contact him after finding out about his involvement with the Mafia, although she didn’t know the extent of his attachment to them, it still filled her with uneasiness.

“That night… I didn’t mean to leave so abruptly.” His teeth came over his lip to gnaw at the skin, cogs turning in his head in attempt to respond to her. His mind drifted back to the night, remembering her insistence on seeing his tattoos. He knew she had seen the black hand. It wasn’t something he necessarily hid either, after all, Kathleen herself had said she was used to trouble makers, what was a little Mafia business to her?  
Luca scolded himself, knowing he was too impassive towards his life style to really put himself in her shoes.

“I know you saw my tattoo, Kathleen.” She could almost feel the colour drain from her face, her feet careful not to trip, her train of thought jostled by his bluntness.  
Luca’s hand came to rest above the hand of hers that clutched his arm, the pad of his thumbs moving across it softly.  
“You have no need to be scared, _bella_.” She internally shivered, continuing to walk. His voice was so calm and so relaxed, such a contrast to how Kathleen was feeling. His words slightly soothed her, but she knew the type of people he dealt with, the type of person he was.   
“I dealt with people like your kind back home, Luca. I came here for a fresh start, and I won’t let my feelings come in the way of my new life.” His head turned away from her, no longer able to look at her in fear of his flaring nostrils sending her into panic. Your kind? People like your kind?  
“Frankly, sweetheart, you don’t know me. Maybe I was too empty-headed to think to pursue someone like you.” Her heart battered inside of her, aching at his words. She had practically said the same things to him, but it was far easier for them to roll of her tongue than have them said to her.  
“I didn’t mean that, Luca.” His lips raised almost maliciously before taking a look at her, then making their way inside of her hotel and stepping into the elevator. His fingers caressed her cheek, coming down to hold her chin.  
“Didn’t you?” Her head moved, showing him she hadn’t meant the words that sounded so honest when they came from her mouth. His arm reached out to push a button, sending the elevator to every other floor, and finally hitting the number ‘5’ to lead them up to Kathleen’s room.

It was Kathleen who made the first move, one hand holding his face and the other gliding through his gelled back hair, lips forcefully attached, Kathleen’s panting filling the small space of the elevator, allowing Luca to revel in the effect he had on her.  
“I thought you said-“ His lips kissed from her lips down to her neck, hands smoothing over her waist, “you didn’t want this,” he left another kiss against her skin, “aye?” His words were breathy, the surprise of their current circumstance almost sending him delirious as his hands roamed along her. Kathleen groaned, his accent filling her head with unholy thoughts. She let her tongue shift against his bottom lip, her teeth toying with it, emitting a low growl from his mouth before her left hand pulled him in closer, the other slowly moving downwards and landing above his belt. Kathleen couldn’t want anything more if she tried, she just didn’t want it to feel wrong, it felt wrong to do this to Arthur, regardless of whether she loved him anymore or not. But, in the back of her mind she could hear Polly telling her to go for it, pushing her to do whatever she wanted. And so, she decided that she would.  
The elevator doors dinged open, Kathleen quickly pulling away from Luca, looking more dishevelled than he did, she slid out of the elevator whilst his fingers tipped his hat to the man and woman waiting to get in. As soon as the doors shut behind them, Kathleen let out a hysterical laugh, causing Luca to let out a chuckle at her too.  
Like the gentleman he was, he dropped her outside of her hotel room, watching as Kathleen stepped closer to him, reaching up so that her lips could brush against his, and to her amusement, Luca’s hand pulled her frame into him to deepen the kiss before letting her step into her room.

Polly had given Arthur a good telling off after Tommy had visited her, the two of them causing a rift in the family as they refused to speak. Polly’s scowl was present through every Shelby family meeting. Arthur did what he did best and drank himself silly, topping himself up on snow to numb his brain for a while and keep the thoughts of Kathleen at bay. Tommy couldn’t help his brother any more than he had, Arthur got riled up as soon as he recognised that Tommy was tiptoeing around the subject of Kathleen. Arthur hadn’t let go of Kathleen’s ring since Tommy returned it to him, his heart cracking at the thought of never seeing her again.

“Get your head together, brother.” Tommy’s tone was stern, furthering the bubbling rage within Arthur.  
“Until your wife fuckin’ leaves you, Tom, you won’t fuckin’ understand.” Arthur necked the remaining whisky in his glass, striking it down onto the wooden table. The amount of self-pity Arthur had was outrageous, Tommy thought. He had brought it upon himself, if he’d treated her right in the first place, then he wouldn’t find himself in this predicament.  
“You brought it upon yourself, now stop feeling sorry for yourself. We’ve got a fuckin’ business to run.” Tommy’s hands slapped his desk before reaching for a cigarette, lighting it and leaving Arthur behind.

Kathleen and Jane were quickly adapting to their life in Manhattan. They moved out of the hotel and into an apartment a few streets away from the bakery where Kathleen had been training at. She was starting to actually make the confectionaries now rather than just filling them and she was really enjoying it. Luca insisted on her staying with him after he found out about her job, stating that she wouldn’t have to lift a finger and he had money for the two of them, even Jane, but she turned him down with a laugh and a soft shove, closing the door to her apartment and grinning at Jane.

After almost two months in Manhattan, she finally decided to send the letter she had promised, to Polly.

**** _Dear Polly,  
Sorry I haven’t been in touch, I’m living in Manhattan now.  
I’ve met somebody, and I think you’d really like him, he treats me well and makes me laugh a lot._

** _I have a job in a bakery now too, I never thought I would be good at something like this, but I really love it here._ **

** _I hope everything back home is going well, I miss you and Ada far more than I thought I would. I hope you’re missing me.  
Tell Tommy he should be hearing from me soon._ **

** _All my love,  
Kathleen _ **

“She’s met a fuckin’ man already?” Polly’s head shook, her fingers massaging her temples at Arthur’s outburst.  
“Arthur it’s been two months.” His eyes widened, neck flinching to look at his aunt.  
“Ex-fuckin-actly, Pol, two months. We were together for years.” Polly grips Arthur’s shoulders, shoving him onto the couch in attempts to stop him pacing her room. He was making her feel dizzy.   
“Arthur, you need to get up and move on, just like she has. There’s no use feeling sorry for yourself.”   
“You sound just like fuckin’ Tommy.”

** _Dear Kathleen,  
I hope he is taking care of you. _ **

** _Arthur found your letter before I opened it, he’s had a breakdown reading it and has gone out of his head. I’m not telling you this to worry you, as you have no need to. I want you to make the most of your time in America, make it your home.   
I worry for you and pray for you at church and before I go to bed, the gypsy in you has taken you to Manhattan, but don’t forget your roots. There are other places to see, my dear._ **

** _After the boys’ business in London, I hope that me and Ada can come up and visit.   
I think Arthur could do with a letter from you._ **

** _All my love  
Aunt Pol. _ **

Polly’s letter pushed tears to the front of Kathleen’s eyes as she read them in her front room, Luca sitting opposite with his neck resting on the back of the sofa and his face pointing up to the ceiling, the chandelier casting shadows onto his face. Kathleen dabbed at her eyes, careful not to ruin her makeup, and let out a sniffle before standing up, taking Luca’s hand in hers.  
“Would you come with me to send this letter off?” Luca didn’t reply, pulling Kathleen onto his lap so that she was straddling him, his hands sitting on her sides.   
“Of course, _mi amore_.” She giggled, looking down at him and giving him another loving kiss.  
“I love when you speak Italian to me.” His smile widened, his palm coming down to tap against her bottom and then moving a fallen piece of hair out of her face.

Kathleen grabbed Arthur’s letter from the table, pulling Luca up with her and shrugging her coat over her shoulders, his hands lacing into hers whilst they walked towards his car.  
“Who’s the letter for?” He gestured towards the envelope, walking around to Kathleen’s door and opening it for her, waiting for her to step inside before letting himself in.  
“Someone from back home.” The car journey was quiet aside from Kathleen’s humming of a song that Polly would sing to her as a child.  
Luca’s eyes turned from the road and looked at Kathleen. He couldn’t believe that she was with him after the time they spent on the ship. He assumed they would never see each other again, even if he slipped his phone number into her pocket whilst she slept, in hopes that she would contact him. His gaze moved down to the envelope, the name ‘Arthur’ sprawled across it, he sharply inhaled realising that the letter was for her ex-husband. Luca stopped the car, letting Kathleen pop out and then back in again after posting the letter. Luca didn’t know what it felt like to be in competition with someone. Even though he was aware that Kathleen was no longer with her husband, they were still, in the eyes of the law and church, married. He didn’t often get jealous, usually secure enough in his relationships and himself to find himself ignoring things other men would let torment them.  
As Kathleen sat back in the car and they returned to her apartment, Luca couldn’t help the thought of her ex-husband niggle at him.  
“Arthur, your husband Arthur?” His voice flat, confusing Kathleen.  
“My husband, Arthur, yes.” His head tilted backwards, a hint of a frown crossing over his features. Kathleen’s hand reached out to touch his, his fingers hastily pulling away and running through his hair.   
“Luca, what’s the matter?”   
“Nothin’.” He still hadn’t uttered a word to Kathleen since they stepped foot in her apartment. The food she cooked for the two of them being ate in silence, Jane was staying the night at a friend’s house which left the couple alone and wrapped in the quiet of their apartment.  
Their forks scraped at the plates, Kathleen now feeling irritable and annoyed with Luca.

She stood to clear their plates away, heading into the kitchen but being stopped by Luca’s arms reaching for them, silently telling her she didn’t have to clean them and that he would.  
After he came back from the kitchen, Kathleen wasn’t sat in the front room waiting for him like he thought she would be, instead, his feet padded against the carpet and paved way to her bedroom where she stood getting changed into her nightgown.

He wasn’t sure if he was annoyed anymore, but he knew that Kathleen was, his behaviour towards her making her fed up and in no mood to speak to him. Luca walked up behind her, his hands wrapping around her torso and his chin resting on her shoulder as he watched them in the mirror.  
“I’m sorry, _mi amore. Perdonami, tesoro_.” _Forgive me, sweetheart_. His girlfriend’s eyes rolled at him in the reflection, pushing his hands from her waist and making her way back into the sitting room  
“I can’t help my past, Luca. Just like you can’t help yours.” Their bodies stopped in the middle of the room, Luca pulling her into him.  
“I know, I’m sorry.” His lips flatten to her forehead, her arms coming around his shoulders to pull him closer to her.  
“As long as you respect that I can’t change certain things about myself, then I will do the same for you.” Her lips pecked his, Luca’s body nuzzling into her neck as his arms stretched to play a record on the record player.  
His fingers tickled the skin of her back whilst they slowly danced over the carpet in the room, his lips nipping at her neck and lifting her legs up around him, carrying her body back to the bedroom and laying her on the bed. Kathleen’s arms extending to Luca, grappling his face so that their eyes would meet.

She wanted to say she loved him.

Luca felt the same.


End file.
